Nativity Fast.
VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING
Kathisma Reading
There are no appointed psalms.
At Psalm 140
Tone 5
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
I weep and am downcast, envisioning the dread sentence of the Word,* for which I, a wretch, have not the least reply for my guilt.* Wherefore, I pray: Before the unseemliness of my end overtake me,* before I am mowed down by death,* before I must needs be condemned to the place* where the fire is unquenchable and the darkness is absolute,* where are the worm and gnashing of teeth, and sinners are consumed,* О my Christ, grant me great mercy and deliverance from my offenses.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Disdaining Your laws and the Scriptures, wretch that I am,* I have rejected Your commandments, О God my Creator.* How will I ever avoid the torment which is to come, О Saviour!* Wherefore, before my end grant me forgiveness and a shower of tears,* imparting true compunction to me, О Saviour.* As You are the supremely good God,* drive far from me the hordes of the demons* who seek to drag me down into the abyss of Hades, for I entreat You:* Take not Your almighty hand from me!
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Woe is me! How have I been darkened in mind?* How have I withdrawn from You and, wretch that I am, enslaved myself to sin;* and, enslaved to the passions, given myself wholly over to carnal pleasure* which lives within me, who am passion-fraught?* Now I await my departure from this life and the coming reckoning.* О supremely good Lord, grant me tearful repentance* and release from my countless transgressions,* for with faith I beseech You who grants the world great mercy.
Tone 8
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Having become a dwelling-place and animate temple of your Lord* through the splendour of your life and your sojourn, O most honoured one,* you raised up to Him who reigns over the whole world* the inanimate temple which had fallen of old.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
Beseech Him with your supplications, that He grant great mercy to all.* You were a vessel of the Spirit, pleasing in lustre,* receiving effulgence imparted to you from the heavens;* you prophesied the deliverance of all men by the Saviour.* Beseech Him with your supplications,* that He grant great mercy to all.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
Bathed in luminous radiance, vouchsafed vision,* and shown to be full of the most pure enlightenment which never wanes, O blessed one,* preserve those who hymn you, entreating the one Lord,* that He grant great mercy to all.
Tone 8, Glory… Now…
Alas! Woe is me, who have angered my God,* remaining in ignorance, despondency, and slothfulness, as I have!* O Virgin Mistress, help me who am benighted,* and entreat your Son and Creator,* that He grant me forgiveness of my offenses.
Prokeimenon, Tone 8
And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.
verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.
Aposticha
Tone 5
O Lord, I cease not to sin,* nor do I perceive Your love for mankind which You have granted me.* Vanquish my lack of discernment, O You who alone are good,* and have mercy upon me.
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.
O Lord, from reverent fear of You I tremble,* yet I cease not from committing sins.* Who, when called to trial, does not fear the judge?* Or who, desiring to be healed, angers the physician, as I do?* O longsuffering Lord, have compassion upon my weakness,* and have mercy upon me.
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.
Not caring for all earthly things, and manfully braving tortures,* you were not disappointed in your goodly hopes,* but became inheritors of the kingdom, of heaven, О all-praised martyrs.* Having boldness before God the Lover of mankind,* ask peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.
Glory… Now…
O strange, awesome and great mystery!* The Uncircumscribable One has made His abode within a womb,* and a Mother remains a Virgin even after birthgiving,* for from her she gave birth to God Incarnate.* To Him, then, let us cry aloud,* to Him let us raise a hymn, chanting with the angels:* Holy are You, O Christ God, who was incarnate for our sake!* Glory be to You!
Troparia
Tone 2
As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Haggai,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”
Glory… Now…
Rejoice, O woman who at the angel’s greeting contained the Joy of the world!* Rejoice, for you gave birth to your Creator and Lord!* Rejoice, for you were made worthy to become the Mother of God.
DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING
Troparia and Kontakia
Troparion, Tone 2: As we celebrate the memory of Your prophet, Haggai,* O Lord, we beseech You through him: “Save our souls!”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
Kontakion, Tone 4: Enlightened by the spirit* your pure heart, having seen the distant in the present* became a vessel of brilliant prophecy;* and so we honour you, O blessed and glorious prophet, Haggai.
Prokeimenon, Tone 4
You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.
verse: The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.” (Psalm 109:4,1)
Epistle
Hebrews 11:17-23, 27-31
Alleluia, Tone 5
verse: Moses and Aaron are among His priests and Samuel among those who call upon His name.
verse: Light is risen for the just and joy for the righteous of heart. (Psalm 96:11)
Gospel
Mark 9:42-10:1
Communion Hymn
The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance;* of evil hearsay he shall have no fear.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 111:6)