Second Sunday of Lent - Holy Relics - St Gregory Palamas

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

TROPARION OF THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT IN TONE TWO

O victorious witnesses of the Lord, blessed is the earth fertilized by your blood and holy are the heavenly places that opened to your souls. You have vanquished the enemy in the stadium, and proclaimed Christ with courage. We beg you to intercede with Him who is All-good, that He may save our souls.

KONTAKION OF THE ANNUNCIATION IN TONE EIGHT

Triumphant leader, to you belongs our praise of victory, and since you saved us from adversity we offer you our thanks: We are your people, O Mother of God. So, as you have that invincible power, continue to deliver us from danger, that we may cry out to you: Hail O Virgin and Bride ever pure.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

PROKIMENON
(RESPONSORY)

R. You, O Lord, will keep us
and preserve us always from this generation.

V. Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer any holy man;
for truthfulness has vanished from among the children of men.

THE READING FROM THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

BRETHREN: IT IS WRITTEN: 'Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle Thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will never end.’ But to what angel has He ever said, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Thy enemies a stool for Thy feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him.

ALLELUIA

Your favor, O Lord, I will sing forever;
from generation to generation
my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

For You have said ‘My meekness is established forever’.
In heaven You have confirmed your faithfulness.

THE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MARK

AT THAT TIME: Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'My son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this Man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, 'Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise, take up your pallet and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ — He said to the paralytic — 'I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.’ And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We never saw anything like this!’

MEGALYNARION OF THE LITURGY OF ST BASIL THE GREAT

In you, O Woman full of Grace, all creation exults, the hierarchy of angels together with the race of men: in you, sanctified Temple, spiritual Paradise, Glory of virgins of whom God took flesh — from whom our God who exists before the world, became a child! For He has made your womb His Throne, making it more spacious than the Heavens. In you, O Woman full of Grace, all creation exults: glory to you!

COMMUNION HYMN

The Lord has sent redemption to His people:
He has established His covenant forever. Alleluia.