The Reading from the Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians
Brethren: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew
The Lord said: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you. Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
The Prokimenon, Alleluia and Kinonikon are the same as for this day in the First Week of Lent.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
From the Triodion
O Lord who put the cunning serpent to death by Your Cross, save me from his delusions, for I have sinned and been deceived. Purify me through fasting, O Master, and grant that I may do Your will so that I may contemplate in joy Your holy Passion!
I have been wounded by the sword of pleasures, O Lord, totally disabled by evil. Heal and give life to my humble soul. O Master, You were pierced by a lance; as my Savior, heal those pierced by the Enemy's arrows, and make me a partaker of Your precious suffering.
From O Lord, to You I Call, Wednesday, Third Week of Lent
Son, listen to me! Happy are those who keep my ways. Instruction and wisdom do not reject! Happy the man who obeys me! Happy the man watching daily at my gates, wating at my door-posts. For he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the Lord.
From Proverbs, Vespers, Wednesday, Third Week of Lent
Though I am a creature born on earth, I share in Your image, O Lord, and thus dare to call upon You, the Creator, as my Father. Living as the Prodigal, I have lost the grace of sonship; and forgetful of Your gifts, I have wasted my inheritance. Do not disown me, for You sent Your only-begotten Son to endure crucifixion and death for my sake in the flesh. In Your love for mankind,bring me back from evil and make me Yours again.
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Third Wednesday of Lent
I have been wounded by the sword of pleasures, O Lord, totally disabled by evil. Heal and give life to my humble soul. O Master, You were pierced by a lance; as my Savior, heal those pierced by the Enemy's arrows, and make me a partaker of Your precious suffering.
From O Lord, to You I Call, Wednesday, Third Week of Lent
Son, listen to me! Happy are those who keep my ways. Instruction and wisdom do not reject! Happy the man who obeys me! Happy the man watching daily at my gates, wating at my door-posts. For he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the Lord.
From Proverbs, Vespers, Wednesday, Third Week of Lent
Though I am a creature born on earth, I share in Your image, O Lord, and thus dare to call upon You, the Creator, as my Father. Living as the Prodigal, I have lost the grace of sonship; and forgetful of Your gifts, I have wasted my inheritance. Do not disown me, for You sent Your only-begotten Son to endure crucifixion and death for my sake in the flesh. In Your love for mankind,bring me back from evil and make me Yours again.
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Third Wednesday of Lent
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
The Reading from the Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians
Brethren: As you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew
(Mat 10:32-38; 19:27-30)
The Lord said: "So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first."
The Prokimenon, Alleluia and Kinonikon are the same as for this day in the First Week of Lent.
Brethren: As you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew
(Mat 10:32-38; 19:27-30)
The Lord said: "So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first."
The Prokimenon, Alleluia and Kinonikon are the same as for this day in the First Week of Lent.
Monday, March 05, 2007
From the Triodion
With the fire of abstinence, let us all burn up the thorns of the passions that assault us, and with the streams of our tears, let us put out the flame that never shall be quenched. Let us cry aloud to Him who shall come to judge the whole earth: O Lord and all-merciful Savior, save us from all condemnation and grant us the forgiveness of our sins!
From the first Kathisma, Orthros, Monday, Third Week of Lent
Clothed in the filthy garment of my sins, I have lost my bridal garment and have been cast out from the bridal chamber of joy; but show me Your ineffable compassion, O God: receive me like the Prodigal Son, and be merciful to me.
From the Aposticha, Orthros, Monday, Third Week of Lent
With the help of the Spirit, let us yearn for the Fast of the spirit, which weakens the most violent passions and strengthens us to bring forth good deeds. It lifts up our hearts to Heaven and brings about the forgiveness of sins. May God grant it to us all, in His great mercy.
From Lord, to You I Call, Vespers, Tuesday, Third Week of Lent
O loving Father, my folly has stripped me bare of all Your gifts. I have gone far from You and have enslaved myself to a strange citizen. I led unclean beasts to pasture; and eating from their food, I was not filled. Knowing Your tender mercy, I run now to You: in Your love for mankind, cover my nakedness and save me!
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Tuesday, Third Week of Lent
From the first Kathisma, Orthros, Monday, Third Week of Lent
Clothed in the filthy garment of my sins, I have lost my bridal garment and have been cast out from the bridal chamber of joy; but show me Your ineffable compassion, O God: receive me like the Prodigal Son, and be merciful to me.
From the Aposticha, Orthros, Monday, Third Week of Lent
With the help of the Spirit, let us yearn for the Fast of the spirit, which weakens the most violent passions and strengthens us to bring forth good deeds. It lifts up our hearts to Heaven and brings about the forgiveness of sins. May God grant it to us all, in His great mercy.
From Lord, to You I Call, Vespers, Tuesday, Third Week of Lent
O loving Father, my folly has stripped me bare of all Your gifts. I have gone far from You and have enslaved myself to a strange citizen. I led unclean beasts to pasture; and eating from their food, I was not filled. Knowing Your tender mercy, I run now to You: in Your love for mankind, cover my nakedness and save me!
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Tuesday, Third Week of Lent
Monday of the Third Week of Lent
The Reading from the Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians
Brethren: Putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew
The Lord said: Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Prokimenon, Alleluia and Kinonikon are the same as for this day in the First Week of Lent.
Brethren: Putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew
The Lord said: Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Prokimenon, Alleluia and Kinonikon are the same as for this day in the First Week of Lent.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Encouragement
Certain things stop the movement of the passions and do not allow them to grow; others subdue them and make them diminish. For instance, where desire is concerned, fasting, labour and vigils do not allow it to grow, while withdrawal, contemplation, prayer and intense longing for God subdue it and make it disappear. The same is true with regard to anger. Forbearance, freedom from rancour, gentleness, for example, all arrest it and prevent it from growing, while love, acts of charity, kindness and compassion make it diminish.
St Maximos the Confessor, from The Philokalia
St Maximos the Confessor, from The Philokalia
From the Triodion
As we start upon the third week of the Fast, O faithful, let us glorify the Holy Trinity and joyfully pass through the time that still remains. Causing passions of the flesh to wither from our souls, let us gather divine flowers, weaving garlands for the Queen of days, that with crowns upon our heads, we may sing in praise of Christ the Victor!
From O Lord, to You I Call, Vespers, Monday, Third Week of Lent
I have thrown off from my unruly mind the bridle of the Father; I have lived with beastly thoughts of sin. In my misery I have wasted all my life like the Prodigal Son. Forsaking the food that gives strength to man's heart, I have fed upon the pleasure that gives strength to man's heart, I have fed upon the pleasure that gives passing satisfaction. Yet, good Father, shut not against me the door of Your compassionate Love; but, opening it wide, receive me as the Prodigal Son and save me!
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Monday, Third Week of Lent
From O Lord, to You I Call, Vespers, Monday, Third Week of Lent
I have thrown off from my unruly mind the bridle of the Father; I have lived with beastly thoughts of sin. In my misery I have wasted all my life like the Prodigal Son. Forsaking the food that gives strength to man's heart, I have fed upon the pleasure that gives strength to man's heart, I have fed upon the pleasure that gives passing satisfaction. Yet, good Father, shut not against me the door of Your compassionate Love; but, opening it wide, receive me as the Prodigal Son and save me!
From the Aposticha, Vespers, Monday, Third Week of Lent
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