Hymns and Readings for the Sunday of Zacchaeus 2007

TROPARIA AND KONTAKION
(THEME HYMNS OF THE DAY AND CONCLUDING SEASONAL HYMN)

TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION IN TONE EIGHT

You descended from on high, O Compassionate One; and consented to burial for three days, that You might free us from suffering: O Lord, our life and our resurrection, glory to You.

KONTAKION OF THE PRESENTATION IN TONE THREE

O Christ our God who through your birth have sanctified the virginal womb and have now blessed the arms of Simeon, today You have come to save us. O Lord, when wars prevail, keep your people in peace and strengthen our Public Authorities in every good deed, for You alone are the Lover of Mankind.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

PROKIMENON
(RESPONSORY FROM THE PSALTER)

r. Teach me thy way, O LORD;
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

v. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

THE READING FROM THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO TIMOTHY

BRETHREN: The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

ALLELUIA

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to thy Name, O Most High

To declare thy steadfast love in the morning,
and thy Faithfulness by night.

THE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE

AT THAT TIME: Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, ‘He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.’ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’

HIRMOS IN TONE THREE
(also call the “Megalynarion” — Hymn to the Virgin)

It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos, who are ever blessed and all blameless and the Mother of our God; more honored than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim: You who without stain did bear God the Word, you are truly Theotokos: we magnify you.

COMMUNION HYMN

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights! Alleluia.