Hymns and Readings - Sunday of Forgiveness

3 February 2008
Cheesefare Sunday
Synaxis of Simeon the Just and Anna the Prophetess

Tone Three - Eothinon Three

TROPARIA AND KONTAKION
(Theme hymns of the day and concluding seasonal hymn)

TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION IN TONE THREE

Let all in Heaven rejoice and all on earth be glad. For the Lord has exerted power with His arm: By death He has trampled upon death and has become the first-born from the dead. He has delivered us from the bosom of Hades and has granted to the world great mercy.

KONTAKION OF THE SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS IN TONE SIX

O You who guide men towards wisdom and give them intelligence and understanding, Instructor of the ignorant and Helper of the poor: strengthen and enlighten my heart, O Lord; give me word, O Word of the Father, for behold I will not refrain my lips from crying out to You: O Merciful One, have mercy on me who have fallen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

PROKIMENON
(Responsory from the Psalter)

Sing praise to our God, sing praise!
Sing praise to our King, sing praise!

All you peoples, clap your hands!
Shout to God with cries of gladness.

THE READING FROM THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE ROMANS

BRETHREN: Our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand.

ALLELUIA

In You, O Lord, I have hoped: let me never be put to shame.
In Your Just ice, save me and deliver me.

Be for me a protecting God, a sheltering house to save me.

THE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW

The Lord said: If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

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.