Michael Winn

March 25, 2015
Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God

Great Vespers for the feast is served in the evening on Tuesday, March 24.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

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

All the arrows of the Enemy have pierced my over-burdened heart;
it now lies in the tomb of laziness,
hardened as the rock of the tomb.
But You, O Saviour, who by the wood of your Cross
have given life to the captives in Hades,
awaken me and give me life,
that in fear I may glorify your divinity.

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

I have always loved the treasure of my deadly pleasures,
and with the aid of the Evil One,
without conscience, I have delighted in trivialities.
I have disregarded my groaning spirit as another Lazarus,
and I hunger for food from on high.
Save me, O Word of God, from the threatening fire,
that I may glorify your mercy and your love for humankind.

In Tone 3

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

Today Lazarus gives up his spirit.
Bethany laments and cries for the one
whom You, O Saviour, shall raise from the dead,
to strengthen, by your friend, the belief in your divine Resurrection,
which vanquishes death and gives us life.
Therefore, we glorify and praise You.

In Tone 6

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

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.

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

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.

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 everlasting One, believe my true words.
She then cried out, saying:
Let it now be done to according to your 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
To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom.
verse: I will thank the Lord with all my heart in the meeting of the just and their assembly.

Reading I
Genesis 31 :3-16

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
They are lights in the darkness for the upright; they are generous, merciful and just.
verse: Happy are those who fear the Lord, who take delight in all his commands.

Reading II
Proverbs 21 :3-21

Reading III
Genesis 28:10-17

Reading IV
Ezekiel 43:27-44:4

Reading V
Proverbs 9:1-11

Deign, O Lord

Aposticha

In Tone 1

Clothed in the God-woven purple of freedom
and in the fine linen of incorruption,
you have mocked your own dignity, O my soul.
You have sought pleasure and wealth in sin,
looking down on your friends as the rich man on Lazarus the poor.
That you may not be chastised with him,
become poor in spirit
and cry to the Lord who became poor for your sake:
O Lord, who wore the purple of mockery before your crucifixion
and who were stripped and crucified for my sake,
grant me the robe of your kingdom
and deliver me from eternal shame.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

How beautiful is the manner of your exchange, O saints;
for you have given your blood and received heaven.
Truly, you have done well!
You have obtained immortality by forsaking corruptible things.
Making a single choir with the angels,
you sing unceasingly the praises of the consubstantial Trinity.

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…

Today there come glad tidings of joy: it is the feast of the Virgin.
Things below are joined to things above.
Adam is renewed, Eve set free from her ancient sorrow;
and the Tabernacle of the human nature which the Lord took upon Himself,
making divine the substance He assumed, is consecrated as a Temple of God!
O mystery! The manner of emptying is unknown,
the fashion of His conceiving is ineffable.
An angel ministers at the wonder; a virgin womb receives the Son.
The Holy Spirit is sent down; the Father on high gives His consent;
and so the covenant is brought to pass by common counsel.
In Him and through Him are we saved,
and together with Gabriel let us cry aloud to the Virgin:
“Rejoice, you who are full of grace: the Lord is with you.
From you has Christ our God and our Salvation taken human nature,
rising it up to Himself.
Pray to Him that our souls may be saved.”

Song of Symeon

Trisagion Prayers

Festal Troparion

In Tone 4
Today is the crown of our salvation,* and the unfolding of the eternal mystery;* the Son of God becomes the Virgin’s Son,* and Gabriel brings the tidings of grace.* With him let us also cry to the Mother of God:* Rejoice, Full of grace! The Lord is with you!

Ektenia

Three Prostrations

Great Dismissal with commemoration of the feast.

Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served in the evening on Wednesday, March 25.

No kathisma reading.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 5

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

I am rich in all sorts of passion,
and I am clothed in a garment of hypocrisy,
as I revel in the intemperance of sin.
My lack of mercy is beyond measure,
and I disregard my spirit lying before the gates of repentance.
Starved of every good thing, I suffer from illness.
But You, O Lord, make me like Lazarus who was poor in sin,
so that I will not have to beg for a drop of water
for my tongue suffering from thirst in the eternal fire.
Make me dwell in the bosom of the patriarch Abraham. O Lover of mankind.

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

With your souls filled with unquenchable love,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us his great mercy.

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

As You walked in the flesh, O Jesus,
in the land beyond the Jordan,
You said to those who were with You:
Our friend Lazarus has died and has been placed in the tomb.
But I rejoice for you, my friends,
for you will learn that I know all things,
and that with God, I am one,
even though by nature I appear in human form.
Therefore, let us go and give life to Lazarus
so that death may recognize this victory,
and the perfect consummation I shall bring about
by granting great mercy to the world.

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

O faithful, let us imitate Martha and Mary,
and offer virtuous deeds as ambassadors before the Lord,
that when He comes, He may uplift our minds which now lie dead
and full of misery in the tomb.
Without life, they have no sense of what they are neglecting,
and they are unaware of the awesomeness of God.
Behold, O Lord, now give life to all and grant us your great mercy,
as once You had pity on your friend Lazarus,
and by your awesome power, raised him from the dead.

In Tone 6

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

Lazarus has been in the tomb for two days,
and he sees all generations of the dead.
He beholds such strange and awesome things
and a countless number held within the power of death.
His relatives weep bitterly before his tomb;
but Christ is on his way to give life to his friend,
that He may stir up the same joy in the hearts of all.
Blessed are You, O Saviour; have mercy on us.

In Tone 4

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

In the sixth month, the archangel was sent to the pure Virgin.
Telling her to rejoice, he announced the good tidings
that the Saviour would be born of her.
Having accepted his greeting, she conceived the eternal God
who ineffably deigned to become incarnate
for the salvation of our souls.

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

The Mother of God, upon hearing, did not understand
the message of the archangel
because he was speaking the words of glad tidings to her.
She accepted his greeting with faith
and conceived You, the eternal God.
Therefore, we joyfully sing to You:
O God, You became incarnate, without change, from her;
and You grant peace and great mercy to the world.

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

Behold, the promised One now manifests himself to us.
It is beyond comprehension that God unites himself to the human race.
At the word of the archangel, deceit is cast out
because the Virgin receives the Joy.
The things of the earth become like heaven;
the world is freed of the original curse.
Let creation rejoice,
and may voices cry out:
O our Creator and Deliverer,
O Lord, glory to You!

In Tone 1

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

The archangel Gabriel, the spirit who sees God face to face,
gazes upon the brilliant, saving, and gleaming Light.
He sings heavenly and awesome hymns with the ranks on high.
He implores God to grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

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

The great mystery, previously unknown to the angels and hidden from eternity,
is made known to you alone, O Gabriel.
When you came to Nazareth, you told it to the pure One.
Together with her, implore God to grant peace
and great mercy to our souls.

You made the winds your messengers, and flaming fire your ministers.

O prince of angels, all-perfect Gabriel,
you are filled with the divine brightness.
You fulfil the wishes and commands of the Almighty.
Save those who lovingly venerate you.
Always ask God to grant peace and great mercy to our souls.

In Tone 6, 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
I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
verse: I love the Lord, for He has heard the cry of my appeal.

Reading I
Genesis 43:26-45:16

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make; I will call on the Lord’s name.
verse: I trusted, even when I said:· I am sorely afflicted.

Reading II
Proverbs 21:23- 22:4

Reading III
Exodus 3:1-8

Reading IV
Proverbs 8:22-31

Small Ektenia & Trisagion Hymn

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
Proclaim from day to day* the good tidings of our God’s salvation.
verse: Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. (Psalm 95:2,1)

Epistle
Hebrews 2:11-18

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: He will descend like rain on a fleece, and like drops dripping on the earth.
verse: Let His name be blessed through the ages; His name exists before the sun. (Psalm 71:6, 17)

Gospel
Luke 1:24-38

Hymn to the Mother of God
O earth, announce good news of great joy; praise God’s glory, O heavens.
and the Irmos: Let no hand of the profane touch God’s living ark,* but instead let the lips of those who are believers* sing out ceaselessly in the words of the angel,* crying out with great joy to the Mother of God:* Hail, O Full of Grace! The Lord is with you.

Communion Hymn
For the Lord has chosen Sion;* He has chosen it for His dwelling. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (Psalm 131:13)

March 22, 2015
Fifth Sunday of Lent when we commemorate Mary of Egypt
Octoechos Tone 8

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

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

O Christ, during this spiritual service,
we sing to You these evening prayers,
commemorating the mercy You have shown us
by Your resurrection.

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

O Lord, O Lord, do not cast us away from Your face;
but in Your kindness have mercy on us
through Your resurrection.

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

Rejoice, O holy Zion,
the Mother of Churches and the dwelling-place of God;
for you were the first to receive the forgiveness of sins
through the resurrection.

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

Christ the Word was begotten by God the Father before all ages;
yet in these latter times,
He freely willed to take flesh from the Virgin who did not know man.
By His death on the cross and His resurrection,
He saved mankind from the ancient curse of death.

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

O Christ, we glorify Your resurrection;
for by rising from the dead
You freed the race of Adam from the sufferings of Hades,
and as God You granted eternal life
and great mercy to the world.

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

Glory to You, O Christ our Saviour,
the only-begotten Son of God;
for You were nailed to the cross,
and then arose from the dead on the third day.

In Tone 6

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

The pollution of past sins
prevented you from entering the church
to see the elevation of the Holy Cross;
but then my conscience and the awareness of your actions
turned you, O wise in God,
to a better way of life.
And, having looked upon the icon of the blessed Maid of God,
You have condemned all your previous transgressions,
O Mother worthy of all praise,
and so have gone with boldness to venerate the precious Cross.

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

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

Having worshipped at the holy places with great joy,
you have received saving grace for the journey of virtue,
and with all haste you have set out upon the good path you have chosen.
Crossing the stream of the Jordan,
with eagerness you have gone to live
in the dwelling place of the Baptist.
you have tamed the savagery of the passions
through your ascetic way of life,
and boldly you have broken the rebelliousness of the flesh,
O Mother ever-glorious.

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

Having gone to dwell in the wilderness,
you had blotted out from your soul the images of your sensual passions,
and marked upon it the God-given imprint of holiness.
You attained such glory, blessed Mother,
as to walk upon the surface of the water,
and in your prayers to God you were raised up from the earth.
And now, all-glorious Mary,
standing before Christ with boldness,
entreat Him for our souls.

In Tone 4, Glory…

The power of Your Cross, O Christ,
has worked wonders,
for even the woman who was once a harlot
chose to follow the ascetic way.
Casting aside her weakness,
bravely she opposed the devil;
and having gained the prize of victory,
she intercedes for our souls.

In Tone 8, Now…

Out of his love for mankind
the King of heaven appeared on earth and dwelt with men,
for He assumed a human body from the pure Virgin
and was seen in the flesh He received from her.
He is the One and only God having two natures but not two persons.
Wherefore we profess and declare the truth
that Christ our God is perfect God and perfect Man.
O Mother, who knew not carnal union,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

Aposticha

In Tone 8

O Jesus, You descended from heaven
so that You might ascend the cross.
O immortal Life, You came to die.
You are the true light to those who live in darkness,
and You are the resurrection of the fallen.
Therefore, O Saviour of all, we glorify You.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. * Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Let us glorify Christ, the Saviour of our Souls
Who arose from the dead.
For He took upon himself a soul and a body,
and during His passion He separated the one from the other.
His pure soul went down to conquer Hades,
while His holy body lay uncorrupted in the grave.

For He has made the world firm. * which shall not be moved.

O Christ, we glorify Your resurrection with psalms and hymns.
For by Your victory over death
You delivered us from the sufferings of Hades,
and as God You granted us eternal life and great mercy.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, * for length of days.

O Lord of all, Creator of heaven and earth,
You are above all understanding.
Through Your passion on the cross
You freed us from the sufferings of Hades.
And, after condescending to be buried, You arose in glory;
and with Your mighty arm You also raised up Adam.
O most merciful Lord, we glorify You;
for by Your resurrection on the third day
You granted us remission of sins and eternal life.

In Tone 2, Glory…

The desire of your soul and the passions of your flesh
you have cut down with the sword of abstinence;
your sinful thoughts you have choked with the silence of the ascetic life.
With the streams of your tears you have watered all the wilderness,
and caused the fruits of repentance to spring up for us:
therefore, O saint, we celebrate your memory.

Now …

We now behold a new wonder,
greater than the wonders of old.
For who has ever known a mother to bear a child without the help of man?
Who has known a mother to hold in her arms the Source of all Creation?
It was God’s own will to be born in this manner;
and you, O most pure Virgin, carried Him as an infant in your arms.
Because of this, you can approach God with the boldness of a mother.
Therefore, we venerate you, and ask you to always beseech Him
to have mercy on us and save our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 8

You came down from on high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You.

Glory… Now…

O gracious Lord, for the sake of mankind You were born of a virgin;* through Your death on the cross You conquered death;* and through Your resurrection You revealed yourself as God.* O merciful Lord, do not disdain those whom You have created with Your own hands,* but show forth Your love for mankind.* Accept the intercession which the Mother, who bore You, makes in our behalf.* O Saviour, save Your despairing people!

DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT BASIL THE GREAT

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 8: You came down from oh high, O Merciful One,* and accepted three days of burial* to free us from our sufferings.* O Lord, our life and our resurrection,* glory be to You.

Troparion, Tone 8: The divine image was faithfully preserved in you, O mother,* for taking up the Cross, you followed Christ.* By your deeds you have taught us to see beyond the flesh, which passes,* and care for the soul, a thing immortal.* And so, O venerable Mary,* your spirit rejoices with the angels.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Once you were filled with every impurity,* now through repentance you have been revealed as a bride of Christ,* following the angelic life, you crushed demons with the weapon of the Cross.* Therefore, O glorious Mary, you have been shown to be a bride of the kingdom.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.
verse: In Judea God is known; His name is great in Israel. (Psalm 76:12,2)

Prokeimenon, Tone 4
God is wonderful in His saints,* the God of Israel. (Psalm 67:36)

Epistle
Hebrews 9:11-14; Galatians 3:23-29

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us acclaim God our Saviour.
verse: Let us come before His countenance with praise and acclaim Him with psalms. (Psalm 95:1,2)

Gospel
Mark 10:32-45; Luke 7:36-50

Hymn to the Mother of God
In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices: the angelic ranks and all the human race. Sanctified temple and spiritual paradise, virgins’ pride and boast, from whom God is made flesh and became a little Child; and He who is our God before all ages, He made your womb a throne, and He made it wider that all the heavens. In you, O Full of Grace, all creation rejoices. Glory be to you.

Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens;* praise Him in the highest. (Psalm 148:1)* The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)

March 20, 2015
Friday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

10. 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.

9. 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.

8. Your martyrs did not reject You,
nor did they renounce Your commandments.
Through their prayers, have mercy on us.

7. Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had 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.

6. Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had 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.

5. Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,
and revealed the pre-eternal plan to you.
He greeted you and announced:
Rejoice, O earth that had 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.

4. 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?

3. 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?

2. 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.

1. 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.

In Tone 2, Glory… Now…

That mystery which is from all eternity
is being revealed today.
The Son of God becomes the Son of Man.
He accepted the lowliest in order to give us the highest.
In times of old, Adam was deceived;
he desired to become like God and did not.
Now God becomes human that He may make Adam God.
Let all creation be happy:
let nature dance with joy
because the Archangel stands in awe before the Virgin and greets her.
He brings the greeting which changes our grief into joy.
Through the mercy of Your compassion, You became incarnate;
O our God, glory to You!

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
Genesis 22:1-18
Some time after these events, God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Ready!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well, and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust, set out for the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar. Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you.” Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. “Father!” he said. “Yes, son,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?”

“Son,” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.” Then the two continued going forward. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Lord’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.

“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”

As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh; hence people now say, “On the mountain the Lord will see.” Again the Lord’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing – all this because you obeyed my command.’’

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
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. A man without sense gives a pledge, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbour. He who loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. A man of crooked mind does not prosper, and one with a perverse tongue falls into calamity. A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy. A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. A wicked man accepts a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice. A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good; to flog noble men is wrong. He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. He who is estranged seeks pretexts to break out against all sound judgment. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also; and with dishonour comes disgrace. The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream. It is not good to be partial to a wicked man, or to deprive a righteous man of justice.

March 18, 2015
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 3

10. Even more than all others, I have sinned of my own will,
and for that, I am condemned;
the arrogance of my flesh is the enemy of my soul.
O guide for those who have lost their way
and light for those without hope,
save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

9. For the Prophet says,
my soul shall live and shall praise You, O Lord.
I am the lost sheep;
call me back and number me among Your flock.
Give me time to repent that I may sigh and cry out to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

8. Greatly despising You commandments,
I have sinned, O Christ our God.
Spare me, O Benefactor,
that my inner eye may be freed from darkness;
and in fear I shall cry out to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

7. Having been encircled by wild beasts,
I beseech You to deliver me from their clutches, O Lord.
You wish that all be saved
and come to the knowledge of the truth;
save all Your people, O Creator,
that I may be saved with them;
save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

6. I am lying here in sin;
heal me, O Redeemer and Benefactor;
be not far from me, O Saviour.
Raise me up, O almighty One,
that I may confess all my sins and cry to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

5. Just as the foolish servant,
I have hidden the talent You gave me;
I have buried it in the ground.
I have been condemned as useless,
and I dare not ask for anything more.
In Your goodness, spare me,
that I may also cry to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

4. Kindly, You dried up the marsh of her passions,
when the woman with the flow of blood touched Your garment.
I have received the forgiveness of my sins
by drawing near to You in complete faith;
receive me, as You accepted her, and heal me of my grief;
save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

3. Lord, Your word has made heaven and earth,
and You shall come to sit upon a throne;
and we shall all stand in Your presence and confess our sins.
Before that day comes, receive my repentance;
save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

2. Mercifully look upon me and spare me, O Saviour;
pour out the streams of healing upon my poor and afflicted soul.
Purify it from all stain
so that I may sing to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

1. Now my soul has been quickly assailed by the sword that the devil prepared;
he has made me a stranger to the light of Your face, O Lord.
But, by the power of Your arm,
draw me up from his jaws;
save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

Glory…

Your love is beyond expression, O merciful and good Lord!
You alone are without sin!
Do not reject me far from Your face,
that, with thanksgiving and with joy,
I may sing and cry out to You:
Save me, O Lord, before I completely perish.

Now…

Zealously, we sing of the ineffable condescension of God!
It is a miraculous and wondrous birth!
How has the Virgin carried You in her arms as a child,
for You are her Creator and her God?
O Benefactor, who willed to become incarnate from her,
save me before I completely perish, O Lord.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
O Lord, God of vengeance,* show Yourself.
verse: Rise up, O Judge of the earth; give the proud what they deserve!

Reading I
Genesis 17:1-9
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said: “I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless. Between you and me I will establish my covenant, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” When Abram prostrated himself, God continued to speak to him: “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O sing to the Lord a new song,* sing to the Lord all the earth!
verse: O sing to the Lord; bless His name.

Reading II
Proverbs 15:20-16:9
A wise son makes his father glad, but a fool of a man despises his mother. Folly is joy to the senseless man, but the man of understanding goes the straight way. Plans fail when there is no counsel, but they succeed when counsellors are many. There is joy for a man in his utterance; a word in season, how good it is! The path of life leads the prudent man upward, that he may avoid the nether world below. The Lord overturns the house of the proud, but he preserves intact the widow’s landmark. The wicked man’s schemes are an abomination to the Lord, but the pure speak what is pleasing to him. He who is greedy of gain brings ruin on his own house, but he who hates bribes will live. The just man weighs well his utterance, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil. The Lord is far from the wicked, but the prayer of the just he hears. A cheerful glance brings joy to the heart; good news invigorates the bones. He who listens to salutary reproof will abide among the wise. He who rejects admonition despises his own soul, but he who heeds reproof gains understanding. The fear of the Lord is training for wisdom, and humility goes before honours. Man may make plans in his heart, but what the tongue utters is from the Lord. All the ways of a man may be pure in his own eyes, but it is the Lord who proves the spirit. Entrust your works to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own ends, even the wicked for the evil day. Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord; I assure you that he will not go unpunished. By kindness and piety guilt is expiated, and by the fear of the Lord man avoids evil. When the Lord is pleased with a man’s ways, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him. Better a little with virtue, than a large income with injustice. In his mind a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.

March 15, 2015
Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast
Venerable Father John Climacus
Octoechos Tone 7

GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

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

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord,
Who destroyed the power of death
and enlightened the human race;
and let us cry out with the angels:
Glory to You, our Creator and Saviour!

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

O Saviour, for our sake You suffered crucifixion and burial;
and, as God, You destroyed death by Your death.
Therefore, we adore Your resurrection on the third day
and we sing: Glory to You, O Lord!

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

On seeing the resurrection of the Creator,
the Apostles were amazed,
and they sang an angelic hymn of praise:
This is the glory of the Church,
this is the richness of the Kingdom!
O Lord, Who suffered for our sake, glory to You!

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

O Christ, although You were taken captive by Your enemies,
I still acknowledge You as my God,
and am not ashamed of You;
I will not hide the fact that You were nailed to the Cross.
Your death is my life, almighty Lord,
and I extol Your resurrection.
O Lover of mankind, glory to You!

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

In fulfilment of the prophecy of David,
Christ revealed His majesty to His disciples in Sion.
He showed Himself to be worthy of equal praise
with His Father and the Holy Spirit;
for He existed from all eternity as God the Word, without a body;
then, out of love for mankind, He became incarnate,
and for our sake He was put to death as a man;
finally, by His own power He arose from the dead.

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

O Christ, of Your own free will, You descended into Hades;
and, as God the Lord, You destroyed death.
On the third day You arose from the dead and raised up Adam
from the bonds of Hades and corruption.
In joy he cried out and said:
Glory to Your resurrection, O Lover of mankind!

In Tone 8

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

O holy father John,
truly have you ever carried on your lips the praises of the Lord,
and with great wisdom have you studied the words of Holy Scripture,
that teach us how to practice the ascetic life.
So have you gained the riches of grace,
and you have become blessed,
overthrowing all the purposes of the ungodly.

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

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

Most glorious father John,
with the fountain of your tears you have cleansed your soul,
and by keeping vigils through the night
you have gained God’s mercy.
You were raised on wings, O blessed one,
to the love of Him and of His beauty;
and as is right you dwell now in His unending joy,
with your fellow soldiers in the spiritual fight,
O holy saint of God.

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

O holy father John,
through faith you have lifted up your mind on wings to God;
hating the restless confusion of this world,
you have taken up your Cross;
and, by following Him who sees all things
you have subjected your rebellious body to His guidance through ascetic discipline,
by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Tone 5, Glory…

O holy father,
hearing the voice of the Gospel of the Lord,
you have forsaken the world, counting as naught its riches and its glory;
and so you have cried out to all:
“Love God,
and you shall find eternal grace.
Set nothing higher than His love,
that, when He comes in glory,
you may find rest with all the saints.”
at their prayers, O Christ, guard and save our souls.

In Tone 7, 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.

Aposticha

In Tone 7

O Saviour of the world, You arose from the grave,
and together with Your own flesh You raised up mankind.
O Lord, glory to You!

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Come, let us worship Christ Who arose from the dead
and enlightened all creation.
For by His resurrection on the third day,
He set us free from the oppression of Hades,
granting us life and His great mercy.

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

O Christ, Lover of mankind,
You descended into Hades and destroyed death.
Then You arose on the third day;
and, together with Yourself You lifted up all of us
who glorify Your mighty resurrection.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

O Lord, what a fearful sight it was to see You lying in the tomb as if asleep.
Yet on the third day You arose in great power,
and at the same time You raised up Adam who joyfully cried out:
Glory to Your resurrection, O Lover of mankind!

Glory… Now…

All of us on earth hasten to take refuge in you, O Lady;
and we cry out to you:
O Mother of God, you are the only hope for us;
deliver us from our countless sins, and save our souls.

In Tone 2, Glory…

Let us honour John, angel upon earth and man of God in heaven,
adornment of the world, joy of the good and virtuous, glory of the ascetics.
For planted in the house of God he has blossomed with the flower of holiness,
and spread abroad like a cedar in the desert,
causing the sheep of Christ’s spiritual flock to increase
in sanctity and righteousness.

Now…

O wondrous event exceeding every miracle that ever happened!
Who ever heard that a mother could conceive without a man,
and that she would hold in her arms the One who contains the whole universe?
This was the will of the One who was born of you.
Woman most pure,
never cease to intercede for those who honour you,
together with the One you carried in your arms as a child.
You have the power of a Mother:
therefore, intercede with Him that He may have mercy on us
and save our souls.

Troparia

In Tone 7
By Your cross You destroyed death;* You opened Paradise to the thief;* You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.

Glory… Now…

O Mother of God, we sing your praises,* for you were a virgin before conceiving,* and remained a virgin after giving birth.* And since you have given birth to our Salvation, Jesus Christ,* you have become a treasury of assistance* for all who seek resurrection and eternal life.* Therefore, lift us up from the depth of our transgressions,* for we place our hope in you.

DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT BASIL THE GREAT

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 7: By Your cross You destroyed death;* You opened Paradise to the thief;* You changed the lamentation of the myrrh-bearers to joy,* and charged the apostles to proclaim* that You are risen, O Christ our God,* offering great mercy to the world.

Troparion, Tone 1: O John, our God-bearing father,* you were shown to be a citizen of the desert,* an angel in bodily form,* and a worker of miracles.* Through fasting, prayers and vigils you received heavenly gifts* to heal the sick and the souls of those who, in faith, run to you.* Glory to Him who gives you strength.* Glory to Him who crowned you.* Glory to Him who works healing for all through you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: On the heights of true abstinence,* the Lord established you as a reliable star,* giving light for guidance to the ends of the earth,* O father John, our teacher.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The Lord will give strength to His people;* the Lord will bless His people with peace.
verse: Bring to the Lord, O you sons of God; bring to the Lord young rams. (Psalm 28:11,1)

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
The venerable ones will exult in glory* and they shall be joyful in their beds. (Psalm 149:5)

Epistle
Hebrews 6:13-20; Ephesians 5:9-19

Alleluia, Tone 7
verse: It is good to give praise to the Lord; and to sing to Your name, O Most High.
verse: To announce Your mercy in the morning, and Your truth every night. (Psalm 91:2,3)
verse: They who are planted in the hose of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 91:14)

Gospel
Mark 9:17-31; Matthew 4:25-5:12

March 13, 2015
Friday of the Fourth Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

10. 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.

9. 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 6

8. Your martyrs did not reject You,
nor did they renounce Your commandments.
Through their prayers, have mercy on us!

7. Your martyrs, O Christ,
have endured many sufferings for Your sake,
and have received their heavenly crowns.
Now they intercede for our souls.

6. The suffering martyrs, citizens of heaven,
when taking part in the contest upon earth,
endured manifold torments.
By their intercessions and prayers, preserve us, O Lord.

5. Your Cross, O Christ, has been an invincible weapon for the martyrs;
for beholding the approach of death
and foreseeing the future life,
they were made strong by the hope that lies in You.
By their intercession, have mercy on us!

In Tone 2

4. Father, you denied the world from your youth.
You were joyful with true faith and love
as you followed the crucified Christ!
You mortified your flesh through many tasks of obedience
and received richly the gift of healing:
You alleviated various illnesses and drove out evil spirits
to their great astonishment!

3. Father, you denied the world from your youth.
You were joyful with true faith and love
as you followed the crucified Christ!
You mortified your flesh through many tasks of obedience
and received richly the gift of healing:
You alleviated various illnesses and drove out evil spirits
to their great astonishment!

2. You were the adornment of monastics, Benedict,
assembling a countless multitude to hymn the Lord.
You guided the steps of all to heaven
who rightly followed your divine teachings
and imitated your virtuous life, Father!
With them, we fittingly honor you,
rejoicing in your dormition.

1. You called down rain from the skies, Father, by your divine prayers,
like Elijah of old!
You caused a vessel to pour forth with oil, venerable one;
you raised the dead and worked many other miracles
to the glory of the God and Saviour of all!
Therefore with love we celebrate your glorious memory, Benedict!

In Tone 6, Glory…

Your creating command was my origin and formation,
for You willed to fashion me, a living creature,*out of visible and invisible nature.
From the earth You formed my body
and gave me a soul by Your divine and life-creating breath.
Therefore, O Christ, give rest to Your servant in the place of the living,
in the abodes of the just.

Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you
in a manner that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake He who is God by nature assumed the nature of man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may have mercy on our souls.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 6
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: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” Abram went as the Lord directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother’s son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.) The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
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
The scoundrel suffers the consequences of his ways, and the good man reaps the fruit of his paths. The simpleton believes everything, but the shrewd man measures his steps. The wise man is cautious and shuns evil; the fool is reckless and sure of himself. The quick-tempered man makes a fool of himself, but the prudent man is at peace. The adornment of simpletons is folly, but shrewd men gain the crown of knowledge. Evil men must bow down before the good, and the wicked, at the gates of the just. Even by his neighbour the poor man is hated, but the friends of the rich are many. He sins who despises the hungry; but happy is he who is kind to the poor! Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those intent on good gain kindness and constancy. In all labour there is profit, but mere talk tends only to penury. The crown of the wise is resourcefulness; the diadem of fools is folly. The truthful witness saves lives, but he who utters lies is a betrayer. In the fear of the Lord is a strong defence; even for one’s children he will be a refuge.

March 11, 2015
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

10. The Fast that brings integrity has now run half its course.
These past days have proved acceptable,
and now we see the need of the days to come.
Our perception of their value will make them yield more abundant fruit.
Therefore, let us beseech Christ our Benefactor
who fasted and endured the Cross for us:
Grant that we might share in Your divine Pascha without condemnation
and pass our lives in peace,
worthily glorifying You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Tone 5

9. Those who do good deeds in secret
and receive a spiritual reward,
do not boast in public about their deeds,
but they carry them in their hearts;
and He who sees the secret deeds of all
grants us the reward of self-control.
Let us then complete this Great Fast without putting on a gloomy face;
but while praying in the secrecy of our souls,
let us cry out unceasingly:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
lead us not into temptation, we pray,
but deliver us from evil.

8. With your souls filled with unquenchable love, O holy martyrs,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us His great mercy.

In Tone 1

7. Let us all wash our souls in the water of the Fast
and approach the precious and all-praiseworthy Cross of the Lord.
Let us faithfully bow to it,
drawing divine illumination from it
and reaping the fruit of eternal salvation,
which is peace and great mercy.

6. O precious Cross, the boldness of the apostles,
You are revered by the Archangels, Powers and Principalities.
Save from all evil those who bow before You,
and make us worthy to pass through the course of the Fast in a holy way,
that we may see Your salvation and holy Resurrection.

In Tone 7

5. Bowing before the Cross of the Lord on this day, let us sing:
Rejoice, O Tree of Life;
You are the joy of the world who destroy Hades and Death;
Your strength puts the demons to flight.
You are the invincible weapon and support of believers;
preserve and sanctify those who bow before You.

In Tone 6

4. You were arrayed in the vestments of a bishop,
thrice-blessed one:
You entered the holy of holies,
with pure lips, like an angel, sending up praise to your Master!
As the godly shepherd of Rome,
enlightened with deifying splendour,
you taught the faithful the theology of the faith,
divinely radiant Gregory:
teacher of the church
and initiate of the mysteries of the grace of God!

3. Ever cleaving to the Lord,
and united to the divine fire in purity, hierarch,
you set down the liturgy of the Presanctified gifts,
thus sanctifying the faithful during the days of the fast;
rescuing them from the snares of the enemy.
You guided them into the fold of heaven,
revealing yourself to be a pillar a fire
through the splendour of your piety
and the brightness of your divine teachings,
God-bearing Father Gregory!

2. Holy Gregory,
you preserved blamelessly the bishop’s holy anointing.
By the grace of Christ you caused its gifts to increase like talents,
in all things you were well pleasing to the only Lord of glory:
in love and meekness, in ardour of faith,
in compassion and prayer.
Thus, divinely eloquent one, in the meadow of salvation,
you faithfully shepherded the reason-endowed flock of Christ.

1. Today your divine memorial, most honoured one,
shines forth like the sun to the ends of the earth,
joyfully enlightening all the faithful with mystical splendours!
We assemble to honour it with holy psalms and hymns,
entreating you to beseech Christ, divinely glorious one,
on behalf of those who sing your praises.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Today the inaccessible Lord draws me close to Him.
He endures His Passion to free me from my passions.
He who gives light to the blind, receives spitting from impure lips
and permits Himself to be scourged to save the captives.
When His Mother, the Virgin, saw Him on the Cross, she sighed and said:
Alas, O my beloved Child!
You surpass every mortal in beauty; yet You are now without charm or attraction,
having neither grace, nor form, nor life.
Alas! O Light of my eyes,
a sword pierces my hear, and I suffer inwardly to see You so.
I sing and praise Your Passion,
I venerate Your infinite mercy,
O long-suffering Lord, glory to You.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,* who alone does wondrous things.
verse: O God, give Your judgment to the king, and to the king’s son Your justice.

Reading I
Genesis 9:18-10:1
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These three were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was peopled. Now Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of the wine, he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness, and he told his two brothers outside about it. Shem and Japheth, however, took a robe, and holding it on their backs, they walked backward and covered their father’s nakedness; since their faces were turned the other way, they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah woke up from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said: “Cursed be Caanan! The lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” He also said: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! Let Canaan be his slave. May God expand Japheth, so that he dwells among the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.” Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. The whole lifetime of Noah was nine hundred and fifty years; then he died. These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to whom sons were born after the flood.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
To be near God is my happiness.* I have made the Lord God my refuge.
verse: How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart.

Reading II
Proverbs 12:23-13:9
A shrewd man conceals his knowledge, but the hearts of fools gush forth folly. The diligent hand will govern, but the slothful will be enslaved. Anxiety in a man’s heart depresses it, but a kindly word makes it glad. The just man surpasses his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. The slothful man catches not his prey, but the wealth of the diligent man is great. In the path of justice there is life, but the abominable way leads to death. A wise son loves correction, but the senseless one heeds no rebuke. From the fruit of his words a man eats good things, but the treacherous one craves violence. He who guards his mouth protects his life; to open wide one’s lips brings downfall. The soul of the sluggard craves in vain, but the diligent soul is amply satisfied. Anything deceitful the just man hates, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. Virtue guards one who walks honestly, but the downfall of the wicked is sin. One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. A man’s riches serve as ransom for his life, but the poor man heeds no rebuke. The light of the just shines gaily, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.

March 9, 2015
Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 8

10. Today, as we pass the middle of Lent,
by the might of the Cross
let us glorify the mighty God and Saviour
Who was lifted up in the midst of the earth.
As we look, show us Your sufferings, Master,
and Your precious Resurrection,
granting us purification and great mercy.

9. Today, as we pass the middle of Lent,
by the might of the Cross
let us glorify the mighty God and Saviour
Who was lifted up in the midst of the earth.
As we look, show us Your sufferings, Master,
and Your precious Resurrection,
granting us purification and great mercy.

8. Let us humble our fleshly passions
by turning away from food and laying our pleasures aside.
Let us kiss the tree of the Cross in faith.
It reveals itself through veneration,
and sanctifies all with divine grace!
So let us sing to the Lord:
We give thanks to You, tender-hearted One,
for You are saving our souls through the Cross!

7. Let us humble our fleshly passions
by turning away from food and laying our pleasures aside.
Let us kiss the tree of the Cross in faith.
It reveals itself through veneration,
and sanctifies all with divine grace!
So let us sing to the Lord:
We give thanks to You, tender-hearted One,
for You are saving our souls through the Cross!

6. As we all venerate the Cross, let us cry:
Rejoice, Tree of life!
Rejoice, holy sceptre of Christ!
Rejoice, heavenly glory of man!
Rejoice, majesty of faith!
Rejoice, invincible weapon!
Rejoice, vanquisher of enemies!
Rejoice, shining radiance which saves the world!
Rejoice, great glory of martyrs!
Rejoice, power of saints!
Rejoice, light of the angels!
Rejoice, precious Cross!

5. As we all venerate the Cross, let us cry:
Rejoice, Tree of life!
Rejoice, holy sceptre of Christ!
Rejoice, heavenly glory of man!
Rejoice, majesty of faith!
Rejoice, invincible weapon!
Rejoice, vanquisher of enemies!
Rejoice, shining radiance which saves the world!
Rejoice, great glory of martyrs!
Rejoice, power of saints!
Rejoice, light of the angels!
Rejoice, precious Cross!

In Tone 1

4. The choir of forty-fold splendour, the whole army assembled by God,
has shone forth upon the Fast in their honourable sufferings,
illumining and enlightening our souls.

3. The choir of forty-fold splendour, the whole army assembled by God,
has shone forth upon the Fast in their honourable sufferings,
illumining and enlightening our souls.

In Tone 2

2. The martyrs considered the lake to be as a paradise,
and winter to be as the heat of day, O Christ God;
and thoughts of the tyrants’ threats did not frighten them.
Valiant, they feared not the increase of tortures,
having acquired the weapon of the Cross;
and therewith, as mighty, they vanquished the foe,
for which they have received crowns of grace.

1. Who will not hymn the choir of the martyrs forty in number?
For they entered the waters of the lake boldly,
and, huddling together in. the cold, they chanted a hymn to the Lord:
Nay, in the rivers are You incensed against us, O Lord?
Nay, in the rivers are You incensed against us, O Lover of mankind?
Lighten the oppression and bitterness of the wind,
for our feet are empurpled with our own blood,
and You have led us into your everlasting habitations, O God!
May the bosom of Abraham warm us!

In Tone 2, Glory…

Prophetically David cried aloud in the Psalms:
We went through fire and water, and You brought us out into refreshment!
And you, O martyrs of Christ, fulfilling the word in very deed,
passed through fire and water and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven:
Wherefore, pray, O you forty athletes, that we be given great mercy.

Now…

O Virgin, the shadow of the Law passed away
with the realization of grace.
For as the bush had burned without being consumed,
so you gave birth while a virgin
and you remained a virgin.
Instead of the pillar of fire there rose the Sun of Justice.
Instead of Moses, Christ God came forth,
the Saviour of our souls.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear my voice, O God* when I pray to You.
verse: Deliver my soul from fear of the Enemy!

Reading I
Genesis 8:21-9:7
When the Lord smelled the sweet odour, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered. Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat. For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life. If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has man been made. Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it.”

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear us, O God* our Saviour!
verse: A song is due to You, O God, in Zion!

Reading II
Proverbs 11:19-12:6
Virtue directs toward life, but he who pursues evil does so to his death. The depraved in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those who walk blamelessly are his delight. Truly the evil man shall not go unpunished, but those who are just shall escape. Like a golden ring in a swine’s snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition. The desire of the just ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked is wrath. One man is lavish yet grows still richer; another is too sparing, yet is the poorer. He who confers benefits will be amply enriched, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Him who monopolizes grain, the people curse– but blessings upon the head of him who distributes it! He who seeks the good commands favour, but he who pursues evil will have evil befall him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, but like green leaves the just flourish. He who upsets his household has empty air for a heritage; and the fool will become slave to the wise man. The fruit of virtue is a tree of life, but violence takes lives away. If the just man is punished on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner! He who loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. The good man wins favour from the Lord, but the schemer is condemned by him. No man is built up by wickedness, but the root of the just will never be disturbed. A worthy wife is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful one is like rot in his bones. The plans of the just are legitimate; the designs of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, but the speech of the upright saves them.

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Hear us, O God* our Saviour!
verse: A song is due to You, O God, in Zion!

Epistle
Hebrews 12:1-10
Brothers and Sisters, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children – “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness.

Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing now to His name, give glory to His praise.
verse: For You, O God, have tested us, You have tried us by fire as silver is tried. (Psalm 65:2,10)

Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16
The Lord told this parable, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

March 8, 2015
Third Sunday in Lent
Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross
Octoechos 6

GREAT VESPERS

Before the beginning of the service, the Precious Cross is brought from the table of the Prothesis or the sacristy and placed on the Holy Table. A candle is lit and left burning in front of it.

Kathisma Reading
“Blessed is the man…” is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 6

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

O Christ, You won the victory over Hades,
You ascended the Cross so that You might raise up with Yourself
all those who dwelt in the darkness of death.
Almighty Saviour, You are free from death
and bestow life by Your divine light.
We, therefore, beseech You to have mercy on us.

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

Today Christ has conquered Death.
He has risen from the grave as He foretold,
bestowing great joy upon the world.
Therefore, let us all lift up our voices and sing:
O Fount of Life, O Light Whom no one can approach,
Almighty Saviour, have mercy on us.

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

O Lord, where can we sinners flee from You,
for You are present in all creation?
You are present in heaven, for it is Your dwelling place.
Your power prevails in Hades where You conquered Death.
O Master, Your sustaining hand touches even the depths of the sea.
Where, then, can we take refuge except in You?
We, therefore, prostrate ourselves before You and pray:
O Lord, risen from the dead, have mercy on us.

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

We exult in Your Cross, O Christ,
and we sing the glory of Your Resurrection.
For You are our God, and we have no other Lord but You.

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

Glory to Your might, O Lord,
for You have conquered the power of death.
You have renewed us through Your Cross,
granting us life and incorruption.

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

We forever bless the Lord and praise His resurrection,
for by suffering crucifixion,
He has destroyed death by His death.

In Tone 5

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

Shine, O Cross of the Lord,
shine with the light of your grace upon the hearts of those that honour you.
With love inspired by God, we embrace you, O desire of all the world.
Through you our tears of sorrow have been wiped away;
we have been delivered from the snares of death
and have passed over to unending joy.
Show us the glory of your beauty
and grant to us your servants
the reward of our abstinence,
for we entreat with faith your rich protection and great mercy.

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

Hail, life-giving Cross,
the fair Paradise of the Church,
Tree of incorruption that brings us the enjoyment of eternal glory:
through you the hosts of demons have been driven back;
and the hierarchies of angels rejoice with one accord,
as the congregations of the faithful keep the feast.
You are an invincible weapon, an unbroken stronghold;
you are the victory of kings and the glory of priests.
Grant us now to draw near to the Passion of Christ
and to His Resurrection.

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

Hail, life-giving Cross,
unconquerable trophy of the true faith,
door to Paradise, succour of the faithful,
rampart set about the Church.
Through you the curse is utterly destroyed,
the power of death is swallowed up,
and we are raised from earth to heaven:
invincible weapon, adversary of demons, glory of martyrs,
true ornament of holy monks, haven of salvation
bestowing on the world great mercy.

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

Come, Adam and Eve, our first father and mother,
who fell from the choir on high through the envy of the murderer of man,
when of old with bitter pleasure you tasted of the three in Paradise.
See, the Tree of the Cross, revered by all, draws near!
Run with haste and embrace it joyfully,
and cry out to it with faith:
O precious Cross, you are our succour;
partaking of your fruit we have gained incorruption;
we are restored once more to Eden,
and we have received great mercy.

In Tone 3, Glory…

O Christ our God, of Your own will You have accepted Crucifixion,
that all mankind might be restored to life.
Taking the quill of the Cross, out of love for man
in the red ink of royalty with bloody fingers
You signed our absolution.
We are in danger once again of being parted from You;
O forsake us not!
Take pity on Your people in distress,
for You alone are longsuffering.
Rise up and fight against our enemies in Your almighty power.

In Tone 6, Now…

Who would not call you blessed, O Virgin most holy?
Who would not sing a hymn of praise
to the glory of your giving birth without pain or travail?
The Only-begotten Son Himself,
begotten of the Father before all ages,
was made flesh out of you in a manner
that cannot be explained, O Woman most pure!
And for our sake, He Who is God by nature
assumed the nature of a man.
He is not divided into two persons;
He is understood to have two natures
without commixion or confusion.
O noble and blessed Woman,
intercede with Him that He may mercy on our souls.

Aposticha

In Tone 6

O Christ our Saviour,
the angels in heaven sing the praises of Your Resurrection;
make us on earth also worthy
to extol You with a pure heart.

The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty. Robed is the Lord, and girt about with strength.

Almighty God, You destroyed the brazen gates and bars of Hades,
and raised up fallen mankind.
Therefore, with one accord, we cry out:
O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

For He has made the world firm, which shall not be moved.

Christ willed to renew us from our corruption of old
by being nailed to a cross and placed in a tomb.
When the women came to anoint His body they tearfully cried out:
O, what sorrow afflicts us!
O Saviour of All, how could You consent to occupy a grave?
If you truly willed this, then why did You allow Your body to be stolen?
How were You removed?
What place now conceals Your life-bearing body?
O Lord, appear to us as You promised
and put an end to out tears.
As they were lamenting, an angel appeared and cried out to them:
Do not weep, but tell the Apostles that the Lord is risen,
granting sanctification and great mercy to the world.

Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, for length of days.

O Christ, You were crucified of Your free will,
and by Your burial You imprisoned Death.
As God, You rose in glory on the third day,
granting life and great mercy to the world.

In Tone 4, Glory… Now…

O Lord who helped gentle David in the combat
and enabled him to overcome the Philistine,
come to the aid of Your orthodox people,
and by the weapon of the Cross cast down our enemies.
In Your compassion show us Your mercy as of old,
and make them know in truth that You are God,
and that we who put our trust in You shall conquer.
At the constant intercessions of Your most pure Mother,
grant us Your great mercy.

Troparia

In Tone 6
Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory to You!

In Tone 1, Glory…
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your Cross.

Now…
O Holy Tabernacle, when Gabriel called out to you:* Rejoice, O Virgin, full of grace,* the Lord of All became incarnate of you,* as the righteous David had foretold.* In bearing your Creator, you have shown yourself to surpass the vastness of the heavens.* We, therefore, cry out: Glory to Him Who dwelt in you!* Glory to Him Who came forth from you!* Glory to Him Who has set us free* through your life-giving birth!

SERVICE OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

At the Matins Service or just before Divine Liturgy, the priest, vested fully in red, stands before the Holy Table on which lies the Precious Cross with branches of basil or flowers. As the faithful sing “Holy God” he goes around the Holy Table, incensing the Cross from four sides. As the conclusion of “Holy God” is sung, he takes the Cross, and placing it on his head, proceeds around the Holy Table and out of the sanctuary through the north deacon doors. The Cross is preceded with processional candles, the seraphic fans and by the deacon with the censer. The priest stops in front of the Holy Doors, facing the east, when the final “Holy God” is sung, and says:

Deacon: Wisdom! Let us be attentive!

The priest then takes the Cross to the tetrapod and places it there. As the deacon incenses It from four sides, the faithful sing the Troparion of the Cross, three times:

Troparion, Tone 1
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance, * grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies, * and protect Your community by Your Cross.

Afterwards, the following is sung three times in the usual manner.

To Your cross, O Master,
we bow in veneration,
and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.

At the Veneration of the Cross

The faithful now come to venerate the Precious Cross as the following verses are sung:

In Tone 2

Come, O faithful, let us bow before the life-giving Cross
on which Christ, the King of glory, freely stretched out His hands.
By this He raised us up to our former happiness,
which we had lost because of the ancient Enemy
and the bitter pleasure that exiled us from God.
Come, O faithful, let us bow before the Wood
which lets us crush the head of the invisible enemy.

Come, all you families of the nations,
let us venerate the Cross of the Lord with our hymns:
Rejoice, O perfect redemption of the fall of Adam;
Rejoice, O venerable Cross.
Filled with fear and awe, we embrace you; we glorify God, and we say:
O Lord, You were nailed on the Cross;
in Your goodness and love, have mercy on us.

In Tone 5

Come, O people, let us contemplate the marvellous wonder;
let us bow before the power of the Cross.
For the tree of Paradise gave rise to the reign of death,
and now a Tree has made our life blossom forth,
when the sinless Saviour was nailed upon it.
And now, all the nations that are nourished by this incorruptible food sing praises:
You destroyed death by Your Cross and set us free.
O Lord, glory to You!

The word of Your prophets Isaiah and David is now fulfilled,
for they spoke of You, O Lord, and said:
All the nations shall come to You and bow before You.
Behold the people who are now filled with Your grace
in Your sanctuary in the temple of Jerusalem.
O God of goodness who suffered on the Cross for us
and gives us life through Your holy resurrection,
protect us with Your care, O Lord, and save us.

In Tone 6

Rising from the depths of the earth on this day,
the Tree of Life strengthens our faith
in the resurrection of Christ who nailed on it.
His raised hands announce His ascension into heaven,
which permitted Him to dwell in our nature in this fallen world.
We also cry out in thanksgiving:
O Lord who was raised on the Cross and raises us with You,
grant heavenly joy to those who praise Your name.

The four corners of the earth are sanctified today, O Christ our God,
by the four ends of Your exalted Cross.
With it, exalt your faithful Christians
who destroy the power of the enemy through your Cross.
You are great, O Lord, and wondrous in Your works; glory to You!

The words of the prophets have told of the most holy wood
by which Adam was delivered from the ancient curse and from death.
On this day of its exaltation, creation raises its voice
to beg God for the abundance of his mercy.
O Lord, your compassion is beyond measure;
spare us, O God, and save our souls!

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

Behold the words of the prophet Moses are fulfilled, O Lord;
for he said: You shall see your life suspended before your eyes.
Today the Cross is exalted, and the world is freed from error.
Today the Resurrection of Christ is renewed;
the ends of the earth exalt with joy.
At the sound of the cymbals of David,
they offer a hymn of praise and say:
In your goodness and love for all,
You have brought about our salvation in the middle of the earth, O our God.
Through your Cross and Resurrection You save us.
O Lord all-powerful, glory to You!

DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. BASIL THE GREAT

Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 6: Angelic powers were upon Your tomb* and the guards became like dead men;* Mary stood before Your tomb* seeking Your most pure body.* You captured Hades without being overcome by it.* You met the Virgin and granted life.* O Lord, risen from the dead,* glory be to You!

Troparion, Tone 1: Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.* Grant victory to Your faithful people against enemies,* and protect Your community by Your cross.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 7: No longer does the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden;* the tree of the Cross has quenched its flames gloriously.* The sting of death and the victory of Hades are banished,* and You O my Saviour came and called to those in Hades: “Return again to Paradise!”

Instead of Holy God, we sing:
To Your Cross, O Master,* we bow in veneration,* and we glorify Your holy Resurrection!

Prokeimenon, Tone 6
Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance.
verse: Unto You I will cry, O Lord my God, lest You turn from me in silence. (Psalm 27:9,1)

Epistle
Hebrews 4:14-5:6

Alleluia, Tone 8
verse: Remember Your congregation which You acquired from the beginning.
verse: But God is our king before the ages; He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth. (Psalm 73:2,12)

Gospel
Mark 8:34-9:1

Communion Hymn
Let the light of Your countenance, O Lord* shine upon us.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 4:7)

March 6, 2015
Friday of the Third Week of Great Lent

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 7

10. Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

9. Like the prodigal, I have turned away from Your grace;
I have wasted the riches of Your goodness, O Lord.
I now run to You and cry out:
I have sinned , O Lord, have mercy on me.

In Tone 5

8. You were not concerned about all these earthly matters,
and you courageously braved the tortures.
You did not sin against hope,
having confidence in God’s love for humankind;
thus you were made heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven,
O most praise-worthy martyrs.
Ask for peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

7. Putting on the shield of faith
and fortifying themselves with the symbol of the Cross,
Your saints, O Lord, bravely went of their own accord to torture.
They defeated the craft and insolence of the devil.
By their supplications, O all-powerful God,
send peace to the world and great mercy to our souls

6. Intercede for us, O holy martyrs,
that we may be delivered from our iniquities;
for the grace to pray for us is given to you.

5. With your souls filled with unquenchable love,
you endured the most terrible sufferings without ever denying Christ;
and you laid low the impudence of the torturers.
You kept the faith unwavering and unharmed,
and have gone to dwell in heaven.
Therefore, having the boldness to approach the Lord,
beg Him to grant us His great mercy.

In Tone 4

4. You were unvanquished martyrs,
heavenly-minded fathers!
All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
immovable pillars of the church of God,
and a foundation of its teachings,
instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
light-bearing guides for our souls,
fellow citizens with the angels,
and champions of the Trinity!

3. You were unvanquished martyrs,
heavenly-minded fathers!
All-praised hierarchs and beacons of the universe,
immovable pillars of the church of God,
and a foundation of its teachings,
instructors of the righteous and destroyers of falsehood,
light-bearing guides for our souls,
fellow citizens with the angels,
and champions of the Trinity!

2. Let the glorious Ephrem be blessed with divine speeches
together with the divinely wise Basil,
the great Capiton, the godly Agathadorus,
Elpidius, Etherius and the glorious Eugene:
For they lived righteously and suffered in a holy way.
They were revealed to be inhabitants of the Kingdom of heaven!

1. Having slain fleshly knowledge with ascetic labours,
by invoking the name of God,
the glorious Basil raised up a man from the dead!
The most holy shepherd, Capiton,
was seen unconsumed while he stood and rejoiced
in the midst of the fire!
By their supplications, Lover of mankind,
grant us the means of atonement and Your great mercy!

In Tone 5, Glory…

I recall the prophet crying out:
I am ashes and dust.
And again, I looked into the graves and saw bones laid bare and I said:
Which is king or soldier, rich or poor, righteous or sinner?
But, with the just, give rest, O Lord, to Your departed servants,
since You are the Lover of humankind.

Now…

A symbol of the undefiled Virgin and bride was revealed in the Red Sea.
There, Moses divided the waters;
here, Gabriel is the messenger of the miracle.
There, the Israelites crossed the deep and their feet were not even wet;
here, the Virgin gives birth to Christ without human seed.
There, the sea remained uncrossed after the passing of Israel;
here the immaculate remained incorrupt after giving birth to Emmanuel.
Therefore, O Immortal God, who appeared in the flesh as true Man,
have mercy on us!

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
Give us Your help against the foe,* for human help is vain.
verse: O God, You have rejected us and broken us. You have been angry; come back to us.

Reading I
Genesis 8:4-21
In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to diminish until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains appeared. At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark, and he sent out a raven, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth. Then he sent out a dove, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. But the dove could find no place to alight and perch, and it returned to him in the ark, for there was water all over the earth. Putting out his hand, he caught the dove and drew it back to him inside the ark. He waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark. In the evening the dove came back to him, and there in its bill was a plucked – off olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth. He waited still another seven days and then released the dove once more; and this time it did not come back. In the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the water began to dry up on the earth. Noah then removed the covering of the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was drying up. In the second month, on the twenty – seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah: “Go out of the ark, together with your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you – all bodily creatures, be they birds or animals or creeping things of the earth – and let them abound on the earth, breeding and multiplying on it.” So Noah came out, together with his wife and his sons and his sons’ wives; and all the animals, wild and tame, all the birds, and all the creeping creatures of the earth left the ark, one kind after another. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered holocausts on the altar. When the Lord smelled the sweet odour, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done.

Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O God, hear my cry!* Listen to my prayer!
verse: So I will always praise Your name; day after day I will fulfil my vows.

Reading II
Proverbs 10:31-11:12
The mouth of the just yields wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. The lips of the just know how to please, but the mouth of the wicked, how to pervert. False scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a full weight is his delight. When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom. The honesty of the upright guides them; the faithless are ruined by their duplicity. Wealth is useless on the day of wrath, but virtue saves from death. The honest man’s virtue makes his way straight, but by his wickedness the wicked man falls. The virtue of the upright saves them, but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue. When a wicked man dies his hope perishes, and what is expected from strength comes to nought. The just man escapes trouble, and the wicked man falls into it in his stead. With his mouth the impious man would ruin his neighbour, but through their knowledge the just make their escape. When the just prosper, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. Through the blessing of the righteous the city is exalted, but through the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. He who reviles his neighbour has no sense, but the intelligent man keeps silent.